The Milestones Of Achievement in 25 Years of Glorious Service

1993 – 1997
On the very untimely demise of late Master Siddhi Sundar Dhaubhadel on the Aswin 22, 2050 (8th of October, 1993), the parents of Siddhi (Mrs. Ranjana Dhaubhadel and Mr. Shyam Sundar Dhaubhadel) established a not for profit and charitable institution named Siddhi Memorial Health Service Center at Barahipeeth of Bhaktapur Municipality Ward number 14. On the 21st day of the sad demise, that is on the 12th of Kartik 2050 (28th of October, 1993) it was inaugurated with a good gathering of community people, local leaders, social activists, scholars etc.
The center provided free basic healthcare service to the community people by a Paediatrician, medical doctor, nurses and paramedics. This was a major turning point in the Founder’s life.
Initially to run this center, the founders funded for logistics and recurrent expenditures. The overwhelming popularity of the Center determined and inspired the founders to set up a hospital for women and children, for which the founders donated a piece of land to construct a hospital in the city core of Bhaktapur Municipality Ward number 7. With a large effort, the founders decided to construct the hospital with vigorous consultation involving local leaders, community people and other stakeholders.

In the month of Aswin 2053 (October 1996) the foundation stone of the hospital was laid by the Health Minister in a very good gathering of political leaders, stakeholders, school children, health professionals and scholars. The initial two floor building was completed with lots of financial constraints through the support of the founders’ family, well-wishers and supporters. Upon completion of the building, the health care services began at the beginning of Aswin 2054 (October 1997). The health service center was registered as a nonprofit institution though the District Administration Office and also was affiliated with the Social Welfare Council in the same year.

The healthcare services at both places were gaining popularity. Child Health Research Project supported the running of the Hospital on an OPD basis by the doctors from TUTH on a regular seven day a week basis. With the flow of patients and growing popularity of the institution, the founders felt the need of an inpatient ward because very sick children were brought by parents to see the doctors. The doctors found many of the children were in critical condition and needed admission for the proper treatment for which Siddhi was then lacking.

1998 – 2002
In 1998 the 24 hour Ambulance Service began with a Japanese vehicle donated by the Tondabayasji Ebisu Club of Osaka, Japan.
In 1999 the Australian Embassy made a significant donation to build the inpatient ward along with the help from our friend and well wisher Mrs. Theodora McCaughey from Canada, who was living in Kathmandu with her husband Dr. Tom McCaughey. The Australian Ambassador Mr. Brendan Doran laid the foundation stone. The two floor inpatient building was completed with Australian funding together with that from other individuals. In 2000 the inpatient service, with 10 beds, began with the help from CHRP’s project of ADRP providing free treatment. In 2001 SMF received funding from the Canadian Embassy to add one more floor to the existing inpatient building, providing more services. Similarly, in 2002 SMF received further funding from the German Embassy and the Rotary Club of Murnau, Germany to add another floor to the inpatient building, making it a four floor building adding more service. At that time the building consisted of Physiotherapy and rehabilitation units along with Eye and ENT care on the ground floor; Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on the first floor; the Children’s Ward on the second floor; and cabins on the third floor.
The healthcare went on smoothly with an addition of a simple pathology department with the funding from supporters and well wishers.

2003 – 2007
There is no limit to health care needs; the more you grow the more you need. With the financial support from Nepalhilfe Beilngries Germany, SMF built a two floor building consisting of an Operation Theater and OPD block. This has made SMF services smoother. Similarly, SMF built Siddhi Shaligram Senior Citizens Home through the funding from Nepalhilfe Beilngries and both the buildings were inaugurated by the then President of Nepalhilfe Beilngries Mr. Karl Rebele and the Founder’s mother Late Mrs. Krishna Kumari Dhaubhadel. It is to be noted that the foundation stones of both buildings were laid by them together.

SMF received another Ambulance from Nepalhilfe Beilngries. By 2005 SMF began X-ray services through the help from Nepalhilfe Kulmbach Germany. In 2007 the central oxygen supply was installed in many departments through the funding from Noble House Foundation in The Netherlands.

2008 – 2012
In 2008 Nepalhilfe Beilngries donated a brand new Toyota Land-cruiser Ambulance. In 2009 Noble House Foundation helped to build a separate Emergency block that has made it easier for visiting patients in emergency.

In 2010 a license was awarded to run a 50 bed hospital from the Department of Health. The Health Minister unveiled the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that was funded by Turkish Government (TIKA), embassy of Australia and Embassy of Germany. Looking at the need for separate rooms, cabins were made for admitted children through the funding of Nepalhilfe Kulmbach.
In 2011, Nepalhilfe Beilngries funded the setup of an operation theatre. In 2012 a Birthing Center was established with the help of Noble House Foundation Netherlands. The first baby was born in January 2013 and it was a moment of great pleasure for Siddhi staff. Nepalhilfe Kulmbach funded construction of waiting and napping rooms for visitors, especially for mothers whose babies are admitted in NICU and PICU.

2013 – Present2015 was the disaster year for SMF. Firstly, there were massive earthquakes on 25th April and 12th May, taking the lives of hundreds and damaging many properties in Bhaktapur and in 13 other districts of Nepal. Siddhi treated hundreds of injured during the earthquake and transferred other critical patients to higher centers around Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Siddhi provided food for homeless victims for about two months and shelter for many within the premises of Siddhi. SMH conducted mobile health camp; distributed relief meterials; provided free typhoid vaccine; survey of nutritional status among the earthquake victim children and so on. Many helping hands from abroad helped SMF to cope with this crisis. We are very much thankful to all those who helped to meet the expenditures for all the activities conducted.
In the same year on August 27, 2015 SMF faced an unbelievable disaster of flash flooding entering the premises with up to two meter high water, causing great property damages, but no harm came to the patients, as staff moved them to safer places. It took weeks for normalization and SMF was thankful to all those well-wishers and supporters who have shown their sympathy and provided funding to meet the loss of damaged property.

In 2016 Mrs. Arlette Guhl (President of Association des amis du Siddhi Memorial Hospital) and her family of 14 members inaugurated the OPD building that had been funded by her association. It became a lot easier to run the OPD in an effective way. Also the addition of two more floors on the Siddhi Shaligram Senior Citizens Home building was inaugurated by the President Mr. Ralf Petschl and Vice President Mr. Manfred Lindner of Nepalhilfe Beilngries. This has helped to accommodate more elderly people.

Also in 2016 SMF established a children’s home named Siddhi & Meg Children’s Home, in collaboration with Meg’s Children Australia, and located in Changunarayan Municipality which is four kilometers away from Siddhi.

In 2017 Nagasaki University, in collaboration with Siddhi, began a research unit which added a new dimension in Siddhi’s healthcare services. They helped to set up Telemedicine and Teleconference devices and the required equipment for research components at the pathology department.
In April 2018 a Prayer Hall was jointly inaugurated by the donors from Germany, Ms. Ushi and Mr. Winfried Platz.

Sadly, on 12 July 2018 SMF faced a big flash flood disaster, as in the year of 2015, causing huge property damage. SMF is again thankful to those who have shown sympathy and helped it to mitigate the losses. SMF approached the concerned ministry and authorities for protection from floods in the future. SMF needs the construction of concrete walls around its facilities to protect against future flooding.

SMF is fortunate to have support from the Ministry of Health to purchase some most essential medical equipment this year at the end of July 2018. We are very thankful to the Government of Nepal for considering SMF as a community hospital by providing funds to buy equipment.
The above mentioned details illustrate the ups and downs of the foundation, bringing it to this level of service.

SMF is beholden to all the supporters, government bodies, local authorities, SMF staff, friends, families, community people and stakeholders for their kind support and gestures in bringing the foundation up to this height.

Total number of health care services provided (including diagnostic) during five year periods by SMH